1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system product badges, and more particularly to a system and method for non-mechanical adjusting of product badge orientation to match information handling system orientation.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems have become fixtures in many homes and businesses, fitting into a variety of physical locations having various space constraints. Desktop, tower and server information handling systems are often placed in a variety of orientations depending upon the space available in a given area of use and other factors, such as the proximity of power and network connections. As a result, information handling system manufacturers have designed information handling systems to reliably operate regardless of orientation, such as horizontal or vertical orientations. Indeed, information handling system manufacturers often include stands that support a given information handling system in different orientations so that a user may securely place the information handling system in a desired orientation with reduced risk of damage from falling over. Thus, for instance, desktop information handling systems that are generally designed to rest horizontally on a desk are often instead placed in a vertical orientation under a desk.
One difficulty with the different orientations used with information handling systems is that product badges that identify the manufacturer brand, model or other information are typically affixed to the outer surface of the information handling system in a single orientation. If a product badge is affixed to appear upright with a horizontal orientation, then the badge will appear sideways when the information handling system rests in a vertical orientation, and vise versa. Product badges typically carry brand logos that identify the manufacturer of the information handling system. Brand logos are typically used to build an identity for the user of the information handling system with the manufacturer on the brand, such as by associating a positive user experience with the manufacturer. For instance, to enhance the effect of the brand appearance, information handling systems sometimes utilize a logo on a backlit transflective film that appears bright when power is applied to the backlight, such as by illuminating a logo with a display light when the display is powered. Such film applications are similar to transflective films on automotive dashboards that used to provide a warning light or other icon by illuminating a backlight behind the film. The appearance of the logo in different orientations interferes with the building of brand identity.
One recent innovation for realigning information handling system product badges uses mechanical movement of the product badge to match the orientation of the information handling system, such as is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/760,818, entitled “Information Handling System Product Badge Orientation System and Method,” filed on Jan. 20, 2004 by David J. Hernandez, Pedro M. Alfonso, Bradley Jackson and Kenneth Musgrave, and assigned to Dell Products L.P. However, such mechanical systems generally take more space than conventional product badges and are sometimes prone to failure due to breakage of mechanical components. The size of the badge orientation system is a consideration for its inclusion in smaller information handling systems, such as portable information handling systems. Failure of mechanical components is also a consideration in portable systems that are frequently moved to various orientations. For instance, a product badge on the outer surface of a portable information handling system lid that appears upright to a user with the lid in the closed position will appear upside down once the lid is opened to expose a display on the inner surface of the lid. Portable information handling systems are subject to frequent lid actuation so that a mechanical system incorporated in the lid to alter the product badge orientation would have to have substantial durability to avoid failure after multiple actuations.